Friday, December 24, 2010

Thursday, December 23, 2010

My right eye has been hurting on and off for the last four months. I passed it off as a symptom of too much time in sealed up places like airplanes, airports, hotels, buildings with windows that don't open. So, when it was still hurting a week after I had been free of such places I made an appointment with my eye doctor.

One of his first questions was "Do you have any double vision?" Ummmm, if I were ever to get double vision again I would be walking into the nearest ER and order up an MRI.

He didn't find anything specific to explain the pain. I might have just pulled a muscle in my eye. Or stress. Or airplanes (pressure). He told me to give it two weeks (vacation time for my eye?) and if it still hurts, he'll refer me.

He took a thorough look - including dilating my eyes.I can't really *do* much with my eyes dilated but I found myself trying to remember the tune and lyrics of an Ani DiFranco song called "Dilate."

Monday, December 20, 2010

I found myself actually *in* a bank on Monday. I had to make a cash deposit and I just didn't feel comfortable putting money into the ATM (though I'm perfectly comfortable taking it from the ATM?).

I noticed a dish of skinny cheap lollipops on the counter and remembered being a kid and waiting in the car while one of the parents went into Barclays bank and always returned with a lollipop. That's what going to the bank was about - never mind the transaction taking place.So, in a world where I decide the ways things are, ATM's will dispense lollipops.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Taking stock. Or, just unpacking.Please applaud my restraint for not indicating how close I am to the next "level" in these programs. Just give me some time and I'll realize how unimportant this really is - in the meantime - this is what I've got.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

In the last few months I’ve spent more nights at the Hyatt than in my own bed.A work assignment brought me to Columbus, and a little too much time staring at the ceiling in said Hyatt brought me to the Shrunken Head in Victorian Village to swing dance on Tuesday nights.

I want to thank the fine folks of Swing Columbus for live music every Tuesday night, a venue that serves food and alcohol (a bit of both prior to dancing are helpful), for the lessons, playing “Bizet Has His Day,” energetic jam circles with aerials, thanks to the leads for the dances (and steering me clear of the poles when I was back-leading myself right into them)and when I wasn’t on the floor I enjoyed watching y’all (I’m not from the South, but I do live there now).

Thanks for giving my weeks some much needed structure and my dancing a much needed kick-start.Most of all, thank you for your friendliness.You’ve got a great scene going & should my job lead me back to C-bus you can count on me and my suitcase showing up for more.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Monday the 13th. Last trip to Columbus. The Client/Agency holiday party is tonight and about 30 co-workers are flying out for it. There's only one direct flight from RDU to CMH and about half of the McK crowd (including me) will be on that flight - the McK-Bus to C-Bus.

Flight from RDU to CMH delayed.

Canceled!? This really puts a kink in my plan to get Gold Medallion status on Delta.

Go through security anyway to get coffee for the team (Delta wasn't printing boarding passes for a canceled flight - but I printed mine the day prior).and walk back out (I'm not a coffee drinker, but I understand the need. Plus, I'm going to be traveling with these people - maybe - I want them in a good mood).

Shortest trip ever.

I learn I *am* going to be traveling with these people.

On a private plane.

Neat.

The planes (Citation I and Citation II) are flying in from Greensboro. I'm kinda wondering why these planes will make the trip but not Delta.

We have some time so a group of us grab lunch at An. I order a beet salad. It's pretty.

I am on Citation I. The little five seat-er. I wonder how plane assignments were made. Role in company, for sure, but perhaps weight? I grab some Maggie Moo's in case they over-estimated my weight. I love ice cream in the cold an An doesn't have a ton of options for me.

After lunch we drive to the airport and literally just get on the plane. The lack of hassle is remarkable.

Four of the seats face each other. Then there's a single sideways facing seat close to the pilots - that's where I sit. It's at the front of the plane and there is a lot of leg room (though you don't want to stretch my legs too far because I'm opposite the door). Is this First Class or an Emergency Exit Row? The pilots point out all the features. Notably, the liquor stashes. One of which is near me. Maybe I'm the Flight Attendant.

And we're off. Goodbye RDU and your green landscape

Hello Clouds

And sun

A co-worker (who very much needs a restroom, but not the one on the plane) asks me to ask the pilot for an ETA. He's wearing headphones and he's flying the plane. I'm extremely hesistant to tap him on the shoulder.

I take a look out the window and determine we must be close.

We are close. Can't you see that runway? I couldn't actually.

And then we just hop off the plane (onto a red carpet) and walk 50 yards to a cab.

Thursday, December 09, 2010

My trip to CMH this week involved a red-eye, sleeping on the floor of a very cold CLT and arriving to a hotel with no heat or hot water. And snow. I did a really mediocre job of packing so outfit-fit-wise, both outerwear and inner-wear, well, it wasn't a banner week.

These trips make arriving home all the sweeter. Unless or course, arrival home includes a chirping smoke alarm. After midnight. No biggie, methinks. I'll just remove the battery.

Turns out to be a bit of a biggie.

First challenge is reaching the smoke alarm. This involves balancing a footstool on a chair. Precarious, indeed. I cam touch the smoke alarm but having enough stability and grip to get it open, not so easy. I twist, push, pull and turn and finally get the damn cover off the smoke alarm.

Mind you, as I'm doing this, the thing is still chirping. The intervals are just long enough where you think it might have stopped and just as I settle into the silence it chirps again which is extremely irritating (and I'm irritable to begin with, in the best of circumstances, mind you).

I break a nail getting the battery cover off and chip another getting the battery out. With battery in hand I think I've won the battle. Take that device. As soon as I have both feet on the ground and footstool off of chair the f'ing think chirps again. This is unbelievable.

I'm so tired. I just want to sleep. The alarm is hanging from some wires. I consider just chopping them off but this device has such a strong desire to chirp I imagine the smoke alarm on the counter still chirping, growing arms and legs and going into the fridge to grab some of my Ginger Ale. And then there's always fear of electrocution.

Smoke Alarm: 1. Jamie: 0.

I send an e-mail to the apartment people requesting this gets fixed, look up "noise canceling headphones" on Amazon, take an Ambien and sleep. Sorta.

The next day (technically later that day)

I arrive home kinda grumpy. Tired.

The smoke alarm chirps.

I lose it.

Seriously. There are tears. And then there is a phone call to the leasing office. I indicate this is an emergency and I'm going to check into a hotel and deduct it from the rent. I can't not sleep tonight.

Fortunately, the maintenance guy is still there. He arrives at my door with a ladder and battery. I'm still kinda cranky and teary - I'm not a happy tired person. The poor guy was standing right in front of the Jamie train and I tell him way more than he wanted to know about not getting enough sleep, more nights in the Hyatt than my own bed, the red-eye, etc.

He very reluctantly shows me the breaker for the smoke alarm but says "You really shouldn't do that" to which I respond "I would rather wake up on fire than not sleep."